Dr. Gary Dix

Gary Alfred Dix, 65, passed away peacefully in his home in Crownsville, MD, surrounded by his family, early on March 25th, 2024. His death was the outcome of a yearlong struggle with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumor. Gary was born in Durban, South Africa, on February 19th, 1959, the son of Bryan and Gillian Dix. He attended Northcliffe High School in Johannesburg, followed by a degree in medicine from Stellenbosch University. Despite his British-South African upbringing, Gary took it upon himself to study at an entirely Afrikaans-speaking college. After finishing his studies at Stellenbosch University, he fulfilled his obligatory service in the South African military's special forces unit, the Rekkes (akin to the US Navy SEALs). He later moved to Canada to work as a family doctor for several years before specializing in Neurosurgery. His neurosurgical residency and advanced training in complex spine surgery were undertaken at the University of Calgary. This is where he met Sally, whom he wed on December 13th, 1998. Following a year of practicing neurosurgery in Calgary, Gary and his family relocated to Baltimore, MD, where he was affiliated with multiple hospitals as a neurosurgeon. In 2004, Gary moved to Annapolis, MD, where he spent the remainder of his career as a neurosurgical partner at Maryland Brain, Spine, and Pain. Gary was a lifelong sports enthusiast, holding a deep-seated passion for Arsenal Football Club, the Springboks (South Africa's National Rugby Team), the Baltimore Ravens, and the Toronto Blue Jays. He was also an avid golf fan, dedicating his weekends to practicing his skills at South River Golf Club and The Cannon Club. In later years, he developed a keen interest in collecting Scotty Cameron putters. Gary was active in the community, serving on the Board of Advisors for the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. Here, he provided consultation on concussion prevention strategies for youth sports. In addition to his medical degree, Gary further distinguished himself by completing a Master's in Business Administration from George Washington University in 2015. Gary leaves behind his loving wife of 25 years, Sally; his daughters, Anna-Marie Laycock and Victoria; his son, Michael; his son-in-law, Michael (married to Anna-Marie); and his brothers, David and Craig and their families, as well as his extended family in South Africa and Australia. A memorial service in honor of Gary will be held at Bay Area Community Church on Sunday, April 21st, 2024, from 2 to 3 p.m. All are welcome to join and remember Gary's remarkable life and legacy. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Tunnels to Towers Foundation (www.t2t.org), a charitable organization dear to Gary.